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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Gold Stars!

During work today, I experienced another episode of Excellent Substitute Teaching Adventures!, which happens every single time I sub. I was with a third grade class. Right around the time I wrote my name on the board, I noticed a girl at the front looking at me deep in thought. I gave her The Look (that I really should stop using at work in front of children...) that says, "you are doing something particularly strange...care to explain it?" "You look familiar." I told her it was my first time in this particular building. And since I don't generally hang out with 8 year olds, I'm sure we don't run in the same social circles. "I think I saw you in a movie." Ohhhhhh, I get it. A first class suck-up! There's always one. I like these kids, but that's probably because I was always the big dork in school that was left in charge when the teacher had to run to the office, and I'm sorry to tell you but I was the kid who reminded teachers about homework. I'm sorry, but I loved school. So these kids don't bother me. This one was very good. I told her that I haven't been in any movies, but she assured me that she'd seen me in one! I dared not ask what movie, because...well...that's not really information you want, you know? In my mind, I'll imagine it's a regular movie with regular actresses...and not some old class video they watched about the food groups or anything. Anyway, she stuck to her guns, and insisted that I have, in fact, been in a movie. And I am so ok with that. Speaking of guns, after recess I noticed a small convention in the back of the room. Three of the boys were flexing and comparing their biceps. (Whatever kind of muscle third graders have, anyway.) After one of them kissed his arm, I couldn't keep the laughter in and therefore had to break it up. "Alright, gentlemen, I know this is more fun than reading about the moon, but let's keep the gun show at home." [Am I allowed to say "gun show"? I know we don't let them make play guns or use blocks as guns or pretty much anything involving guns...but does that count? Dilemma.]I swear to you, the proudest of the bunch said ok and WINKED AT ME. At least, I think he was trying to wink. Either that or he was having some sort of facial seizure. It was maybe the best moment of my afternoon.